PPF, Ceramic coating and wraps... or not.

[eclat2emira]

I think the same, its going to get dinged at some point

Remember the days when you would check a second hand car especially the front end for tell-tale signs of wear & tear, in order to see if it had had some undisclosed accident damage repaired?

It will be harder and harder to identify an "honest" car in future.

 

[Tonyshepp]

On my sports cars I do a frontal area PPF because I go to the track and don't want to respray the front end every few years.

I then do my own ceramic coating at home for a very reasonable cost. It doesn't last as long as the pro versions of ceramic coating, but good enough for me. As a weekend car, I can get 18 to 24 months of solid ceramic protection before it wears off.

What do you use Vantage?
A detailer has recommended Chemical Guys Hydro Slick to me

 

[Leonard]

What do you use Vantage?
A detailer has recommended Chemical Guys Hydro Slick to me

The Hydro stuff only really lasts between washes. Edited just seen that the chemical guys stuff is more of a clearcut 'hard' ceramic
Ideally you would do your stage 1 polish like you just have and then lock that in with something like this (OR the Chemical Guys stuff )

Crystal Serum Ultra - Gtechniq

Ceramic 10h paint protection, 9 year guarantee, matchless levels of gloss surface slickness swirl and chemical restistance.

www.gtechniq.co.uk

That would be you sorted for a few years

 

[Tonyshepp]

The Hydro stuff only really lasts between washes. Edited just seen that the chemical guys stuff is more of a clearcut 'hard' ceramic
Ideally you would do your stage 1 polish like you just have and then lock that in with something like this (OR the Chemical Guys stuff )

Crystal Serum Ultra - Gtechniq

Ceramic 10h paint protection, 9 year guarantee, matchless levels of gloss surface slickness swirl and chemical restistance.

www.gtechniq.co.uk

That would be you sorted for a few years

Guy told me it would be good for 3 months then reapply..
And ps I was up at 7am but out with the dogs

 

[vantage]

What do you use Vantage?
A detailer has recommended Chemical Guys Hydro Slick to me

More recently I've been using Adam's Graphene coating, just from an ease-of-use perspective. Before that, I used Optimum Gloss Coat. Both of these products are consumer-level "coatings". You need to prep the surface properly (clay, decontaminate paint, polishing if necessary, alcohol wipe) and then apply. On a weekend car, you can get 18+ months of longevity. The Gloss Coat can also be topped pretty easily with a spray sealant or whatever you want to maintain the car with on a regular basis.

There are lots of good coatings on the market for consumers, but I like the two above for their combination of easy to use, longevity, and of course price. For < $100 and some elbow grease, really hard to complain.

 

[Billyidoliser]

Good shout. A forum member on the GR Yaris forum did a kit for the Yaris that was perfect for all the high wear areas and less than a 100 pounds

Anyone thought of approaching Aliath to see if they could do an interior kit for all the glossy bits on the interior for the Emira, once the damage has been done a pig to correct, maybe a group buy could force their hand and a decent group buy discount??

 

[Johnson]

More recently I've been using Adam's Graphene coating, just from an ease-of-use perspective. Before that, I used Optimum Gloss Coat. Both of these products are consumer-level "coatings". You need to prep the surface properly (clay, decontaminate paint, polishing if necessary, alcohol wipe) and then apply. On a weekend car, you can get 18+ months of longevity. The Gloss Coat can also be topped pretty easily with a spray sealant or whatever you want to maintain the car with on a regular basis.

There are lots of good coatings on the market for consumers, but I like the two above for their combination of easy to use, longevity, and of course price. For < $100 and some elbow grease, really hard to complain.

I’ve been using the Turtlewax graphene on my ute. Pretty good beading after a few months, but sap etc still sticks to it. I’ll likely clay bar and recoat again shortly.

For the Emira, I’ll be getting a professional Kamikaze ceramic coating. I’m not even considering taking a clay bar near that paint.

 

[digilotus]

I’ve been using the Turtlewax graphene on my ute. Pretty good beading after a few months, but sap etc still sticks to it. I’ll likely clay bar and recoat again shortly.

For the Emira, I’ll be getting a professional Kamikaze ceramic coating. I’m not even considering taking a clay bar near that paint.

Is the dealer arranging the coating or are you doing this after delivery?

 

[Johnson]

Is the dealer arranging the coating or are you doing this after delivery?

Anthony in Melbourne is sorting both the PPF and the coating (through aftermarket companies).

 

[Pops68]

It's 2026. We still don't have our Lotus, Interest rates are now 18% on the 'new Emira' that's been 'coming soon' since 2022.

Might have to can the idea of PPF to fund the purchase.

18%?!!! Wow as much as I'd like to keep my money invested, anything over 10% is gunna make me just pay for the thing! I liked it better when my money was making >10% and I could borrow @ 3%.. them dayz is gone for awhile I'm afraid!!

 

[Pops68]

No protection at all for me, had PPF self healing on previous car and this got damaged by stone chips which can go through the PPF and into the paint and it does not self heal if it is a big chip, had to take off the PPF and get the paint sorted, so i will keep the car as intended and save the money to have the car repaired as and when required.

I am not bothered about the car being a concours garage queen as i intend to use it as much as possible.

Yep hard to protect against stones. I saw a time lapse of the debris field on freeways here in So Kalif and it looked like a meteor trail! I'll probably put a little PPC on the front and in front of the rear tires but that's about it.

 

[Matthaus]

18%?!!! Wow as much as I'd like to keep my money invested, anything over 10% is gunna make me just pay for the thing! I liked it better when my money was making >10% and I could borrow @ 3%.. them dayz is gone for awhile I'm afraid!!

Yeah worryingly what I wrote is becoming more and more true

 

[SJR202]

Nothing for me, if you break the PPF through a deep scuff (or in my case a 1" bit of damage on the chin of the front bumper from a kerb) where the PPF has been damaged, its a removal and replacement, so what could have been a small smart repair to the paint is now a major job. Luckily its almost invisible without looking for it so Im leaving it, had it have been mid bumper it seems cheaper and easier to just get a very good paint repair. However I am not saying its not worth it for general wear/tear and stone chips, it does do a good job here so its a bit of a swing and roundabout situation.